


like a bearskin coat

by MomoYoMaki



Series: learn how to live [1]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Human Kyuubi | Nine-tails | Kurama, M/M, Tobirama was there for the Kyuubi's sealing, What-If, but wait now I ship it, creative use of Edo Tensei
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-09
Updated: 2019-03-09
Packaged: 2019-11-14 04:35:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18045590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MomoYoMaki/pseuds/MomoYoMaki
Summary: Slowly, Tobirama approaches the Kyubi until he has to crane his neck to meet one of the creature's glowing eyes, as hypnotizing as staring into a fire. The Kyubi growls, a sound so low it seems to rise from the ground like an earthquake and it strains forward, it's teeth baring even further.





	like a bearskin coat

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [reverse](https://archiveofourown.org/works/5339486) by [blackkat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackkat/pseuds/blackkat). 



> Had a thought, went to write it down, and found myself with a new ship by the end of it.  
> Title from Jealousy by Alice Merton.

The devastation of the land is so utterly complete that Tobirama can't help but think that this is what hell must look like. Where once mountains towered now the plane is filled by their remains and the river pools out across the chaos in search of new paths.

"Hashirama!" Mito cries when they reach the edge of one of the last remaining cliffs and leaps ahead of him to where his brother is kneeling, bloodied, but blessedly alive.

Tobirama can't quite bring himself to follow her, his breath frozen in his chest and his eyes fixed on the form sprawling across the old river bed. The Kyubi is massive from so close, fur the color of fire, eyes blood red and fixed unerringly on them. On Hashirama. The mokuton binding the beast must be costing his brother in blood, but it won't last forever. Already the Kyubi's muscles ripple, testing the bonds.

Taking a measured breath Tobirama leaps down the cliff to join Mito and Hashirama.

"Tobirama." Hashiramam greets, and somehow he summons up a smile, though it's weary and tear stained. "The village?"

"In capable hands." Tobirama assures, dropping to his knees beside Mito whose hands glow a steady green. "How badly are you injured?"

"I'm fine," Hashirama plays off, even though he's clearly bleeding, but he corrects the statement when both Tobiramam and Mito glare at him, "I will be! I'm just running low on chakra."

As he suspected.

Tobirama turns his head to take in the kitsune behind them. The monster's chakra seems to be rising with every passing moment. "We need to deal with the Kyubi before you lose control of it."

"It's too dangerous to leave free." Hashirama says grimly. "I know we've all heard of the tales, but this... It is truly worthy of being called a calamity."

Mito releases her healing chakra and stands to asses the Kyubi with sharp eyes. "I do not think it could be sealed away and then left. It would eventually break free of any inaniment object. However...I might be able to seal him inside a living one."

"Mito, you can't mean to seal it inside a human?" Tobirama asked, intrigued.

"I mean to seal it inside myself." Mito responds calmly. "I have enough chakra to keep it repressed."

"No, absolutely not!" Hashirama shouts, and staggers to his feet.

"Then what do you suggest? You are running out of chakra." Mito snaps back.

Tobirama tunes them out and rises himself, stepping away to consider the problem. Mito's idea has merit, but it also has a weakness they can't afford; her human nature. As a human she is breakable, liable to fall to injury or sickness, and eventually die. Even if she did not meet an early and unexpected death, the beast would need to be transferred on every generation.

Slowly, Tobirama approaches the Kyubi until he has to crane his neck to meet one of the creature's glowing eyes, as hypnotizing as staring into a fire. The Kyubi growls, a sound so low it seems to rise from the ground like an earthquake, and strains forward, it's teeth baring even further.

 _It's intelligent_ , Tobirama realizes suddenly. And of course it would have to be, but.....

"I will create a body for it." He says, cutting off Hashirama and Mito's low argument.

"What?" Hashirama asks, baffled.

Tobirama doesn't break eye contact with the creature in front of him as he replies. "If it is sealed in a human body it stands a chance of escape when that body dies. Edo Tensei can create a body that has no such weakness."

Above him, the Kyubi's eyes narrow faintly.

" _Tobirama_ -" His brother hisses. (He's never been comfortable with the jutsu. It's understandable.)

"Mito, can you seal it within such a body?" Tobirama interrupts. He looks away from the Kyubi, now unnaturally still, to Mito who comes to stand beside him.

Mito purses her lips, but nods. "Yes, I can do it."

They turn as one to Hashirama who runs a hand over his face and sighes. Tobirama notes with a faint pang that he's never seen his brother so exhausted. "Very well. But make it quick, I can't hold it much longer."

That Tobirama can do. It is the matter of moments with his jutsu to retrieve a dying prisoner from Konoha and with Mito it takes even less time to lay down the seal, but even so Hashirama is pale and shaking by the time they are ready.

The Kyubi is barely being held at all, it's tails thrashing and claws dragging at the earth as the roots holding it splinter and start to give way.

"Tobirama, we need to do act _now_!" Mito shouts above the snarl of the monster and Tobirama slams his hands onto the seal, followed a bare second later by Mito.

Their chakara rises and it's no small thing, but even as the seals activate the Kyubi's own chakra erupts. Hashirama's binding falls away like dust and the kitsune rises to its full height, terrifying, and larger then a nightmare has any right to be. For one painfully long moment Tobirama doesn't know whose power will win the split second battle, not until the Kyubi howls and the body under Tobirama's hand spasms. The chakra backlash sweeps through the already destroyed landscape like a hurricane as the creature starts to collapse in on itself, shrinking down, folding in, imploding, and draining into the body much too small for it.

From one moment to the next nothing but dust remains, swirling in the air where the beast used to be.

Cautiously, Tobirama eases back to take in the body left in the seal. He only processes red hair, red like the Kyubi's fur, before a hands lashes out and grabs him by the throat as the body lunges at him. It's too fast a recovery time for Edo Tensei, but the Kyubi's new hand feels like a band of iron nonetheless.

Behind him he can hear Hashirama shout and Mito raises her hand, now full of senbon, but they don't strike, not with the Kyubi's nail on his jugular.

The Kyubi stares out at Tobirama through human eyes and laughs. It sounds inhuman.

"Arrogant _boy._ " It spits out at him, leaning in until Tobirama can see that every one of its bared teeth are pointed. "You truly think sealing me like this will weaken me?"

"You are a creature of chakra." Tobirama rasps out. "A human body is more limited than you think."

The Kyubi studies him and the effect is no less devastating then it was in its true from, and then it smiles. "Well...we will see, won't we?"

 

**Author's Note:**

> I absolutely need to explore this universe more at some point....  
> Find me on tumbler under momoyomaki.


End file.
